i scream, you scream ..

It’s unseasonably warm – a balmy sixty degrees in New England at the end of November. Brooke and I are crossing the street, headed for the ice cream shop.

I watch the door to the shop open and close as we walk toward it. I fear we’re not the only ones with this idea. The shop is small and the acoustics are awful. It’s a combustible mix that we know all too well.

“Brooke,” I say, “the ice cream shop might be crowded. You going to be OK?”

“Just a little sinus trouble,” she answers.

My fault. She always invokes Burt in Elmo’s World Happy Holidays when I ask if she’s OK. I take a different tack.

“OK, baby. What should we do if it gets too loud while we’re waiting on the line?”

“Cover my ears,” she says.

“That’s a GREAT idea,” I tell her. “That’s perfect.”

“And what will you do if you feel overwhelmed?”

It’s a big question.

She takes it in, processes it, then buys time by asking, “What’d ya say?”

I repeat the question.

“What will you do if you feel overwhelmed?”

She thinks.

We walk.

I wait.

After a moment, she speaks.

And when she does, she answers the question with all of the straightforward, no bullsh-t, raw, this-is-who-I-am Brooke-ness that I live for.

“I’ll scream.”

**

Ed note: #YouMightBeAnAutismParentIf … continues to thrive on Twitter. It’s been fabulous to have seen so many of you there joining in the conversation.

If you haven’t dipped a toe in the Twitter water yet, don’t be shy. Or do be shy. Heck, just do whatever feels comfortable for you.

In the meantime, I’ll add my new contributions here so that those of you who have drawn lines in the sand can see them too.

We went to Mexican last night and Kate got to practice her “Dora” Spanish. They mistake her for someone who wants to have a conversation as opposed to someone who just wants to recite the script from a favorite episode with Abuela. BTW, Kate was in her Jammies untile we went to dinner at 4pm and put her Jammies back on as soon as we walked in the door. And that crap about God giving us more than we could handle? Seriously? I believe I am God’s personal comic strip! xoxo! Becky

I’ve had those conversations and gotten the completely honest answer. I never know if I should apologize or laugh when others ask K questions and get the honest answer (which can sometimes be rude). Usually it depends on who is doing the asking.

I hope Brooke was able to handle the shop and get her ice cream.

I’m not on Twitter but you are seriously making me consider it. Argh. I’ve copy and pasted some of your tweets included in this post in my Quotes Folder that I keep on my laptop for when I need inspiration or a laugh or a reminder that I’m not alone in this.